


Strength Of Arms Can't Stop Tears

by UncaBob



Series: Atrocities And Mischief, The Life Of Kaiu Ayano [4]
Category: Legend of the Five Rings
Genre: Adopted Children, Ayano Will Kill For These Boys, Bandits & Outlaws, Blood and Gore, Gen, Horseback Riding, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Violence, magic tattoos, parenting is hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:47:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26513911
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UncaBob/pseuds/UncaBob
Summary: In a land without psychology, one young man tries his best to take care of his deeply traumatised adopted son. Part of that is avoiding travel, especially without a large group. But sometimes there's just no other option. Thankfully his dear friend is able to lend her time and help protect his child while they're on the road.
Relationships: Kaiu Ayano & Kasuga Hinata, Kaiu Ayano & Soshi Kazuya
Series: Atrocities And Mischief, The Life Of Kaiu Ayano [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1913869





	Strength Of Arms Can't Stop Tears

Horse riding is not something that Ayano has ever truly bothered to become good at. There was no doubt that a good horse was an invaluable tool, but in her opinion they were too fragile and skittish. The Utaku had the right idea in breeding such stoic and powerful horses. If only the rest of the empire had the good sense to breed strong steeds. Or at least taller ones. She always felt ridiculous mounting up on something that was half her height, like a palanquin balanced on the back of someone bent double. Honestly it wasn’t even really much faster for her to ride unless she was pushing her mount, and that was only on good open ground. However the same could not be said for either Kazuya or Hinata, so horses it was. At least it was good weather for riding.

Something shifts. Instantly she’s alert and scanning for threats. The road is coming up on a steep rise, topped with trees. Excellent place for an ambush if you’re handy with a bow. Kaz, clever darling that he is, detects the change in her demeanor straight away. “Ayano, what is it?”  
“I’m not sure. Stay here while I fix that.” She swings down to the ground, slipping her kabuto onto her head and hefting her hammer, the familiar weight of Yamane resting easy in her hands.  
“Aya-chan?” Hinata pipes up from his seat in front of Kaz, worry clear in his voice.  
“I need to make sure it’s safe, Hina-chan. Wait with Kazu-chan for me, okay?”  
“Okay.” He’s reassured, but still wary. Good. That’s an instinct to be cultivated.  
She gives her boys a quick smile, then marches up towards the trees.

Her eyes track across, peering into shadows and probing at possible hiding spots. As she closes Ayano starts picking out forms amongst the tree line. She’s in close, much, much too close when a bandit struts out of the trees and opens his mouth.  
“Samurai-sama, have you had rice today? I’m very sorry, but you see there’s a toll to pass through here. But don’t worry, we’re happy to accept goods as well as coin in payment.”  
Not even bothering to dignify that with a response Ayano hooks her sōmen into position and pulls the cords tight.  
“Hey now! Don’t be making any stupid-!”  
Ayano explodes into a sprint and the idiot has just enough time to yell for someone to shoot her before she’s on him and Yamane caves in his ugly face. Arrows buzz past her, small and slow by the tone. Hunting bows then, not weapons of war. She turns and one bounces off her chest plate, the shaft splintering on impact against her steel. Moving with deadly intent she wades into the undergrowth, sunbeams sparkling off Yamane’s crystal points as she swings it into another bandit. They’re much too bunched up, and she makes swift work of half the group before turning back to lay into the others. They’d charged to strike at her back, but they’re slow on their feet and with their hands. Weaving around desperate swipes each swing of her hammer pulps meat and bone to mush. The last two have just enough time to contemplate their life choices as she plows through their comrades. Both drop their weapons and turn to run. The first she catches after two swift strides, planting Yamane’s head between his shoulder blades. He flops broken to the ground, but the last bandit has made good use of the bare seconds and is fleeing with all the terrified speed of someone who knows their life depends on it. But it’s not enough to save him. Ayano flicks her left arm and the tattoo on the underside of her forearm glows to life. The Mori flies out, sailing between the trees to slam into the bandit’s back. The harpoon made of light punches in deep, spectral barbs catching on flesh. The bandit shrieks in agony as a sharp yank pulls him off his feet. The dirty man screams and blubbers as she approaches, in too much pain to even try crawling away. Unceremoniously she crushes his skull and just like that, it’s over. Ayano lets Mori fade away, the rope and harpoon reappearing on her skin. She makes a quick round of the fallen, ensuring that each bandit has a properly flattened head. It’s much easier than bothering with decapitation and prevents any mischief with the corpse. Not that anyone this far from The Wall has the good sense to worry about that sort of thing. Wiping the gore from her hammer, she returns to the horses.

Hinata is screaming. He must have seen part of the fight. Damn it. Double checking herself for blood, Ayano hurries back pulling off her helmet as she does. Kaz is struggling mightily, fighting to keep the furiously flailing Hinata contained and his horse calm. Ayano grabs both sets of reins, gently guiding the horses off the road. She moves to Kaz’s side and reaches up. “Hold him tight, I’m going to get you off.” Delicately she lifts them out of the saddle and sets Kaz down on the grass. Leaving him to focus on his adopted son, Ayano leads the horses away to tie them up a good distance from the loudly distressed child. The warnings Kaz had given before they set out were being proven accurate, as Hinata screams and screams without pause, tears streaming down his face. There’s nothing she can do and it grates at her. She’s come to care deeply for the boy, and his terrified voice stirs something primal in her. The need to do something burns in her chest, but she can’t help. Not with this. Frustrated with her inability to act, Ayano plants herself behind Kaz in a silent vigil, hoping that her presence will be even slightly meaningful to him.

Eventually Hinata wears himself out, screams fading to shuddering gasps that slowly, achingly slowly fade into heavy breathing as he begins to slip into an exhausted doze. Stress is written across Kaz’s face, clear under his mask. There’s little to be said, and swiftly they’re back on the horses, pressing forwards. They ride fast, making speed for the inn they’d planned to reach this evening. The sunlight is only beginning to suggest fading when they reach the inn. The horses are stabled, a room secured and Hinata swiftly put to bed. Once the sleeping boy is tucked in Kaz all but collapses. Pulling his mask off he rubs the heel of his palm into exhausted eyes. Ayano lowers herself down to sit across from him.  
“I’m sorry Kazu-chan. I should have warned you better. I just...couldn’t tell what it was from so far. I could have guessed though. Should have known.”  
He shakes his head emphatically. “Ayano-chan no, I should be apologising for Hinata. You shouldn’t be burdened with his behaviour after you’d just risked your life protecting both of us. You didn’t do anything wrong.”  
She huffs a breath, not quite a laugh and definitely humourless. “Doesn’t mean I couldn’t have done better. Always strive to do better.”  
“You have an artisan’s soul, Ayano-chan.” Kaz manages a smile, sincere, if a little strained.  
Ayano returns the smile, feeling the same tiredness. “I am a Kaiu, you know.”  
Buoyed up a little by amusement, they settle in to rest.

The last sunlight has just faded from the sky when Hinata stirs. Ayano slips out of the room to get dinner. Rather than let one of the staff bring the food, she waits for it to be prepared and takes the tray herself. The peasants try and fail to hide the way that she’s flustered them, but it matters not. Hinata will not be exposed to any strangers until he’s ready. Tray in hand she scratches at the door and announces softly “It’s me.” before slipping inside. Hinata is fully awake, wrapped up in Kaz’s arms. As she enters he lifts his head from Kaz’s chest to look at her with wet eyes. He twitches, stretching a hand towards her, fingers reaching. He calls in a small, plaintively voice. “Aya-chan...”  
“Oh, Hina-chan.” Her heart melts into an aching mess, and she swiftly sets the tray aside. Ayano sweeps across the room, sitting beside Kaz and pulling both boys into her lap. She loops a long arm around Kaz to rest her hand on Hinata’s back, the other coming up to stroke his hair. Dinner would be long cold before they were ready to eat.


End file.
